Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters

Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters
2024 Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters season
Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters logo
LeagueMPBL
Founded2018; 6 years ago (2018)
HistoryBatangas City Athletics
2018–2021, 2024
Tanduay Rum Masters
2022
Batangas City Embassy Chill
2022–2023
Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters
2023, 2024–present
ArenaBatangas City Sports Coliseum
Batangas State University Gymnasium
LocationBatangas City, Batangas
Main sponsorTanduay Distillers[1][2]
Head coachPocholo Villanueva
ChampionshipsMPBL: 1 (2018)

The Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters are a professional basketball team based in Batangas City, Batangas. The team competes in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as a member of the league's South Division. They are one of five active teams based in the Calabarzon region and play their home games at Batangas City Sports Coliseum.

The team joined in 2018 as one of the founding teams of the MPBL, backed by Tanduay Distillers as part of the beverage company's athletics program, having previously owned a team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team first went by the Batangas City Athletics before changing to Batangas City Embassy Chill in 2022 to promote one of Tanduay's own products. The team later changed its name to the Tanduay Rum Masters in 2024. The Batangas City franchise has also played in FilBasket.

One of the most successful teams in the MPBL, Batangas City won the inaugural championship in 2018 and has made three division finals appearances. They currently have the second-highest all-time regular season winning percentage among active teams at .717, only behind the San Juan Knights. To date, they are the only MPBL team to make a playoff appearance in every season of the league's existence.

History

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Tanduay's prior involvement

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Tanduay's involvement with basketball can be traced back to the Tanduay Rhum Masters that played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) from 1975 to 1987 and again from 1999 to 2001.

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

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In 2018, the Batangas City Athletics were founded as one of the league's ten charter teams. With a record of 8-1, Batangas City captured the league's best record and made it to the 2018 MPBL Rajah Cup finals, where they beat the Muntinlupa Cagers, three games to one, to become the inaugural MPBL champions.[3]

In the 2018–19 season, Batangas City ended the season with a record of 13-10 to claim the second seed in the Southern Division. The team failed to defend their championship, after they lost to the Davao Occidental Tigers in the division finals in three games.

In the 2019–20 season, Batangas City made their third straight playoff appearance with a record of 19-11, but lost to the Zamboanga Family's Brand Sardines in the First Round in three games.

Logo of the Batangas City Embassy Chill used from 2022 until 2023.

The team opted out of the 2021 Invitational before returning in 2022, in which the team was renamed to Batangas City Embassy Chill. With a 17-4 record, the team made their fourth straight playoff appearance, once again making a run to the division finals, where they would once again fall to Zamboanga in three games.

For the 2023 Preseason Invitational, the team was temporarily renamed as the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters.

FilBasket

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As the MPBL postponed its fourth season to 2022, the Tanduay-backed franchise were among the teams that took part in FilBasket. The team first took part in the 2021 Subic Championship. The Athletics finished 8th, but lost to eventual champions AICC Manila.[4][5]

Right before the 2022 MPBL season, the franchise took part in the succeeding 2022 Summer Championship, marking the franchise's first professional outing. As the Tanduay Rum Masters, the team finished the elimination round 11–0, winning every game. During the playoffs, they first beat Muntinlupa in the quarterfinals but would get swept by the fifth-seeded San Juan Knights in the semifinals.[6][7]

Home arenas

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The franchise has played most of its home slate at Batangas City Sports Coliseum. The team did play some games at other venues across the province, which includes a few games played at Batangas State University, a game played at De La Salle Lipa in Lipa, and a game at FPJ Arena in San Jose.

Venue Location 2018 2018–19 2019–20 2022 2023 2024
Batangas City Coliseum Batangas City, Batangas Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY
Batangas State University Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Green tickY TBA
De La Salle Lipa Lipa, Batangas Red XN Green tickY Red XN Red XN Red XN TBA
FPJ Arena San Jose, Batangas Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN Green tickY

Rivalries

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Zamboanga Master Sardines

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Zamboanga and Batangas City have faced each other in the playoffs in three consecutive occasions from 2019 to 2022, all of which went the full three games. Batangas City won the series in 2019. As of 2023, the two teams have met a total of thirteen times in the MPBL.

Current roster

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Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G 0 Ramirez, RJ 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Far Eastern
G 1 Isit Jr., Carlos 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 1984–02–21
G 8 Oliva III, Arturo (HG) 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Arellano
G 9 Paniamogan, Philip 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1991–05–30 José Rizal
G 10 Lingganay, Rudy 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1986–08–15 UE
F/C 14 Porter, Kris 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1994–09–02 Ateneo
F 15 Ochea, Dawn 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Adamson
G/F 19 Arim, Oliver Neal (HG) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Centro Escolar
G 21 Alarcon, VJ (HG) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
G 22 Hernandez, Levi 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1990–03–09 Arellano
F 23 Ablaza, Cedric 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) STI
C 24 Cruz, Mark Neil 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) José Rizal
C 26 Ambulodto, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1990–09–25 St. Clare
G 27 Importante, King 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Adamson
G 31 Dela Virgen, MJ 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) José Rizal
G 37 Asuncion, Jaycee 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) José Rizal
F 43 Apinan, Jeckster 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1987-01-09 José Rizal
G 45 Baloria, Juneric 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 1990–06–03 UPHSD
F/C 51 Sena, James 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1988-08-31 José Rizal
F 81 Lunor, Darwin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) St. Clare
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Jay-R Aquino
  • Warren Capitan
  • John Mark Arenas
  • Dino Ponce Enrile

Legend
  • (HG) Homegrown
  • (FF) Filipino-foreigner
  • (SGL) Special Guest Licensee
  • (RS) Reserve player
  • Injured Injured

Updated as of: April 10, 2024


Head coaches

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# Name Term Ref.
1 Mac Tan 20182019
2 [[]] 2019
3 Woody Co 2019–20
4 []] 2022

Notable players

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Individual award winners

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MPBL All-Star Day

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PBA players

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Other notable players

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Season-by-season records

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League champions
Division champions
Qualified for playoffs
Best regular season record

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

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Season Regular season Playoffs
Division Finish GP W L PCT GB Stage Results
Batangas City Athletics
2018
Rajah Cup
1st 9 8 1 .889 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals
won vs. Bataan, 2–0
won vs. Valenzuela, 2–0
won vs. Muntinlupa, 3–1
2018–19
Datu Cup
South 2nd 25 15 10 .600 5 Division quarterfinals
Division semifinals
Division finals
won vs. Imus, 2–1
won vs. Zamboanga, 2–1
lost vs. Davao Occidental, 1–2
2019–20
Lakan Season
South 4th 30 19 11 .633 7 Division quarterfinals lost vs. Zamboanga, 1–2
Batangas City Embassy Chill
2022 South 2nd 21 17 4 .810 1 Division quarterfinals
Division semifinals
Division finals
won vs. Bacoor City, 2–1
won vs. Rizal, 2–0
lost vs. Zamboanga, 1–2
2023 South 2nd 28 22 6 .786 1 Division quarterfinals
Division semifinals
Division finals
won vs. Imus, 2–0
won vs. General Santos, 2–1
lost vs. Bacoor City, 0–2
Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters
2024 South 2nd 28 20 8 .714 1 Division quarterfinals
Division semifinals
Division finals
won vs. Davao Occidental, 2–0
won vs. South Cotabato, 2–1
lost vs. Quezon, 1–2
All-time regular season record 141 101 40 .716 6 playoff appearances
All-time playoff record 43 27 16 .628 1 finals appearance
All-time overall record 184 128 56 .696 1 championship

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Tanduay's MPBL stint hinges on grassroots development". The Philippine Star. February 6, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  2. ^ "Tanduay Athletics joins MPBL, sets in motion grassroots program". Manila Bulletin. February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  3. ^ "Batangas holds off Muntinlupa to win inaugural MPBL Championship". ABS-CBN News. April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  4. ^ Panerio, Jonas N. (November 8, 2021). "Rogado leads Mtrans Buracai De Laiya past Muntinlupa in Filbasket". Sunstar. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  5. ^ "Former Batangas-Tanduay Athletics mentor to coach in FilBasket". Manila Times. October 14, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  6. ^ Terrado, Reuben (February 25, 2022). "Tanduay drops hint of basketball comeback with Filbasket logo post". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  7. ^ Saldajeno, Ivan (February 25, 2022). "Tanduay makes pro basketball return, joins new FilBasket season". Dugout Philippines. Retrieved February 25, 2022.